No Images? Click here VIVID SYDNEY 2018 FESTIVAL PROGRAM ANNOUNCEDThe World’s largest festival of light, music and ideas, Vivid Sydney, is back for its 10th year with a stellar festival program launched this week by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall. Owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, Vivid Sydney 2018 will feature a spectacular new precinct at Luna Park, the return of much-loved Customs House, and a bold and dynamic display of morphing digital sculptures on the sails of the Sydney Opera House. “Each Vivid Sydney Program continues to outshine the last and 2018 will be no different with special designs to celebrate a decade of what has turned into Australia’s most visited major event,” Ms Berejiklian said. “The ever popular Customs House will feature once again, with a gorgeous animation of May Gibbs’ classic characters Snugglepot & Cuddlepie, celebrating their 100th birthday since their stories were first published.” Mr Marshall said all eyes would turn to the Sydney Opera House during Vivid Sydney, with an unforgettable projection across the sails for the 10th anniversary. “Visitors will be captivated by a fantastical blend of everyday objects and Australian motifs from science, nature and culture by North Coast NSW artist Jonathan Zawada,” he said. Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer and Vivid Sydney Executive Producer Sandra Chipcase said, “Over 23 nights from Friday 25 May to Saturday 16 June, Vivid Sydney will paint our Harbour City in the colour and spectacle of Vivid Light, fill Sydney venues with Vivid Music’s eclectic mix of performances and collaborations, and provide a global forum for thought-provoking debate and creative discussion at Vivid Ideas.” In addition to the light displays, Vivid Sydney will once again feature Vivid Music, with performances by Solange, Vera Blue, Mazzy Star, St. Vincent and more, and Vivid Ideas, which will feature an array of Game Changers and Creative Catalysts, headlined by film-maker, marine explorer and conservationist, James Cameron, who will visit Sydney to open the James Cameron – Challenging the Deep exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum. The special 10th anniversary Vivid Sydney 2018 lift-out magazine will also be distributed via more than two million newspapers this weekend in Australia and New Zealand. The magazine is a must-have guide to plan a fantastic festival experience and is bursting with information over 36 pages, including Vivid Sydney travel packages, plus a range of Sydney and regional NSW events and experiences taking place during and around the festival. For more information, go to www.vividsydney.com. Image: Metamathemagical – Artist impression by Jonathan Zawada - Bouquet HOP ON DOWN TO THE EASTER SHOWThe gates were officially opened to the 2018 Sydney Royal Easter Show today, Australia’s largest annual ticketed event. The event celebrates Australian country life with animal shows, agricultural competitions, food demonstrations, mini farms, sheep shearing, fun fairs and much more. The NSW Government has supported the Sydney Royal Easter Show via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, since 2011. The event delivers a significant boost to the NSW visitor economy, with last year’s Show attracting 69,000 overnight visitors and delivery $47 million in visitor spend. Gates open at 9:00am daily from today through until Tuesday 3 April, with 12 hours of entertainment and 50 free shows each day. To discover what’s on, plan your trip and secure your tickets, head to www.eastershow.com.au. Photo credit: David Clare/Royal Agricultural Society of NSW NEWCASTLE 500 COMMUNITY FUN DAY ANNOUNCEDHunter residents will have the first opportunity to buy discounted tickets to this year’s Newcastle 500, prior to their release to the public, at the Community Fun Day in April. Tickets are expected to be in hot demand, after last year’s inaugural event attracted crowds of 192,000 over three days of racing. A host of Supercars drivers will be in attendance signing autographs, along with car displays, live entertainment, face painting and jumping castles for the kids. The Newcastle 500 was secured exclusively for Newcastle by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, in partnership with Supercars Australia and the Newcastle City Council. Last year’s Community Fun Day attracted more than 10,000 people, with this year’s event to be held at Civic Park on Saturday 28 April. For more information go to www.supercars.com. SYDNEY SEIZES TOP SPOT IN TRIP ADVISOR AWARDSFor the second year running, Sydney has been named the top travel destination in Australia, in the TripAdvisor 2018 Travellers’ Choice awards. Sydney beat out the Gold Coast and Melbourne to take top spot, with TripAdvisor spokesperson Grant Colguhiun saying Sydney’s spectacular harbour, beaches and nightlife had obviously struck a chord with millions of world travellers. NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said Sydney never fails to impress. “Sydney’s natural beauty, iconic attractions, festivals and events and excellent shopping and dining options continue to amaze visitors from across the globe all year-round, and with the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas; Vivid Sydney kicking off in May, now is the perfect time to plan your trip to our incredible Harbour City, ” Mr Marshall said. For more winning destinations, head to www.tripadvisor.com.au CAMILLA TO CLOSE MBFWA THIS YEARThe preliminary schedule for 2018 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) was announced this week, with Bondi-based designer CAMILLA set to close the event. NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the event would showcase the best in the business while also providing a platform for emerging talent. “The NSW Government is delighted to be supporting MBFWA to profile our State’s fashion industry and the talented designers making their mark internationally while showcasing our unique Australian style and importantly, generating business for NSW,” Mr Marshall said. In celebration of 15 years, Camilla and Marc will open this year’s event and iconic Australian brand CAMILLA will return to the runway after a two year hiatus, to close the Resort 2019 show. MBFWA Resort Collection hits the runway 13 – 17 May, head to www.mbfashionweek.com/. DELEGATES HEADING TO TWEED FOR TOURISM CONFERENCEThe Tweed will welcome more than 150 delegates in October when it hosts the 2018 Australian Regional Tourism Convention for the first time after beating a number of submissions. NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said since launching the NSW Regional Conferencing Strategy and Action Plan last August, the regional NSW business events’ industry has started to gain momentum. “We have committed $6 million to help drive more business events into our regions and securing the 2018 ART Convention is a major coup for regional NSW,” Mr Marshall said. Proudly supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, the convention will be held from 23 - 25 October and showcase the region’s business event capabilities. HANDA OPERA OPENS ON SYDNEY HARBOURVisitors to Sydney will be wowed by this year’s season of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, which opens tonight with a glorious production of La Bohème. The 2018 production of La Bohème, set in wintery 1960s Paris, will feature stunning special effects, including snow falling on Sydney Harbour. Supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is renowned as one of the world’s greatest outdoor opera events. NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said, “The annual event has become revered as one of the world’s greatest outdoor operas, with more than 57,000 domestic and international overnight visitors travelling to Sydney to enjoy this spectacular production since its inception in 2012.” To more information and tickets, head to www.opera.org.au VISITING WESTERN SYDNEY MADE EASIERVisiting Western Sydney just got a lot easier, with a one-stop shop website and app launched this week by the Western Sydney Business Connection as part of their first ever marketing campaign for Sydney’s West – “SW: you’ll love it as much as we do”. Each Western Sydney suburb is profiled including population, travel distances, schools, languages spoken, median house price and average age of populations. There is also a comprehensive travelling guide and a single source of 'What's On', detailing hundreds of cultural festivals, sporting events, exhibitions, entertainment and local tourist attractions. For more information, visit http://sydneyswest.com/. Photo: L-R: Minister Marshall, Western Sydney Business Connection General Manager, Amanda Brisot, Liverpool City Council Mayor, Cr. Wendy Waller. COFFS HARBOUR TO HOST YOUNG FOOTBALLERSThe Football Federation Australia (FFA) National Youth Championships will shine the sporting spotlight on the Coffs Coast once again, with the regional event returning to Coffs Harbour for the next two years. Member for Coffs Harbour Andrew Fraser said the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW in partnership with Northern NSW Football had secured the FFA for 2018 and 2019. “The 2018 and 2019 FFA National Youth Championships are expected to attract more than 4,800 overnight visitors and generate more than $5 million for the local economy across the two-year period,” Mr Fraser said. The FFA National Youth Championships is the leading annual national football competition for boys in the under 12 and 14 year old age groups and girls in the under 14 and 15 age groups. DNSW AND QANTAS CAMPAIGN WINS SILVERDestination NSW and Qantas have earned a Silver Award at the UK’s Travel Marketing Awards. The Travel Marketing Awards are the UK’s largest and most prestigious event in the travel and tourism marketing calendar and honour the most original, creative and best performing campaigns in marketing, advertising, digital and PR. The award recognised Project Alice, a campaign that was designed to drive incremental Qantas bookings to Sydney through awareness, preference and consideration, conversion and loyalty. The campaign delivered an estimated incremental benefit of more than $2.4 million to the NSW economy, with Qantas bookings to Sydney up 25.5 per cent during the campaign period. The full list of winners and images from the awards ceremony can be found here. SYDNEY AIRPORT WINS GLOBAL AWARDSydney Airport has been voted the top airport in the Australia/Pacific region by customers participating in one of the largest global customer satisfaction surveys. The airport was recognised at this week’s Skytrax World Airport Awards in Stockholm. The Awards assess customer service and facilities across 550 airports and are based on more than 13.7 million survey questionnaires completed by travellers of more than 100 nationalities. Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said they had introduced a range of measures in the past 12 months to improve customer experience, including improvements to wayfinding, expanded food, beverage and retail options in refurbished terminals and automated check-in and bag drop zones in parts of the T1 International terminal. To read more about the award, click here. Photo: General Manager Construction and Facilities Management, Chris Evans, accepts Skytrax award on behalf of Sydney Airport. NIGHTCAP RIDGE RECEIVES NSW GOVERNMENT GRANTThe number of visitors to the World Heritage Nightcap National Park is set to increase thanks to a $150,000 grant from the Regional Tourism Fund. The eco-destination will soon be able to welcome more overnight visitors, with the grant helping to construct two self-contained cottages and a lodge for corporate events. Member for Lismore Thomas George congratulated Nightcap Ridge on their successful initiative. “Nightcap Ridge, a privately-run property, spreads across 67 beautiful acres and continues to draw visitors with its organic produce and wonderful paddock-to-plate experiences, so I am delighted this NSW Government funding will allow them to add to their existing tourism offering,” Mr George said. The Regional Tourism Fund is managed by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. For more information on the fund, go to www.destinationnsw.com.au/regionaltourismfund. BATHURST 12 HOUR DATES FOR 2019The iconic endurance motor race is returning to Bathurst in February, with the Bathurst 12 Hour set to rev up Mount Panorama from 1 - 3 February. Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said, “Bathurst is the home of motor racing in Australia and I am looking forward to once again welcoming visitors from around Australia and the world to our spectacular regional city in 2019,” Mr Toole said. The Bathurst 12 Hour is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. For more information, click here. NSW TOURISM AWARDS ENTRANT WORKSHOPSIn partnership with Destination NSW, the NSW Business Chamber will host 10 NSW Tourism Awards Entrant workshops in April. Presented by either the Chair of Judges of the NSW Tourism Awards or a tourism expert and past judge, the workshops will assist in preparing submissions and offer important insight into the awards process. To view the full schedule of workshops, locations and to register, click here. NEW FUND TO BOOST BUSINESS EVENTSThe Federal Government recently announced new funding of $12 million over three years to provide assistance to secure new international business events for Australia. The Tourism Australia Business Events Bid Fund Program will commence from 1 July 2018 and focus on six trade and investment priority areas. Applications for the Tourism Australia Business Events Bid Fund Program open on 1 May 2018. More information can be found here. SPOTLIGHT ON THE HUNTERTourism representatives from the Greater Hunter united this week in Brisbane to showcase the region at major international aviation conference, Routes Asia. Attended by over 800 airline, airport and tourism delegates from 100 countries, Routes Asia is a key route development event aimed at securing new international flights to grow our tourism industry. Newcastle Airport, in partnership with Newcastle City Council, Destination Port Stephens and Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association, attended the event with the mutual purpose to position the Greater Hunter as a significant tourism destination. SEASONAL PRODUCE SHOWCASE IN ORANGEOne of Australia’s longest-running food festivals, Orange F.O.O.D week returns from 6 – 15 April. The event is supported by Destination NSW in collaboration with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Orange Regional Tourism. Orange F.O.O.D Week showcases the incredible wine, food and producers from the region and has evolved to become a gourmet festival of national standing. For tickets, click here. EAT YOUR WORDS AT GOULBURN READER WRITER FESTIVALFor literary and food lovers, the Goulburn Reader Writer Festival is a veritable feast of famous authors and chefs. Held at the Goulburn Mulwaree Library, the festival includes cooking demonstrations from well-known chefs such as Ben O’Donoghue and Janelle Bloom, along with writing and publishing workshops, cocktail making and a blogging workshop. The festival will be held tomorrow, Saturday 24 March, and will also showcase local produce with a range of family-friendly market stalls and food vans. Click here for more. ART WORKSHOPS LAUNCH IN MUDGEE REGIONFollowing the success of Art and Wine in the Vines last year, a new series of art workshops by Rosby Wines and Guesthouse is set to further cement the Mudgee Region as a cultural destination. The Rosby workshops hosted by talented local artists will give visitors insight into traditional and modern sculpture drawing, wood-fire cooking and welding techniques. Rosby offers discounted packages to workshop participants in its luxury guesthouse, making the classes perfect for visitors to the Mudgee region. For more information and to book tickets, click here. RIVERINA MURRAY SET FOR TOURISM BOOSTThe Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan was launched this week and is set to grow the local tourism industry and drive overnight visitation to the region. NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said, “The Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan recognises the current health of the visitor economy in the region and identifies nine strategic development themes and over 40 priority projects to ensure the region continues to thrive and grow.” The Plan has been developed by Destination Riverina Murray in consultation with the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW and Murray Regional Tourism. To view the plan, click here. EDITOR'S NOTEOur thoughts go to local communities in Tathra, the Bega Valley and surrounding districts affected by the loss of homes and infrastructure due to the recent bushfires. We have been in constant contact with Destination Southern NSW and Sapphire Coast Tourism who are gathering on the ground reports and updates and the good news is Tathra is definitely “Open for Business” over the Easter long weekend and beyond. For more information, click here. Tourism plays a key role in the region and Destination NSW is working with key Government agencies on support plans and the program of activities to be put in place over the coming weeks and months. |